Stepping Out

Cozy up in the kitchen

Explore your culinary passions on a winter's weekend

Posted

The holidays have come and gone, now settle in for some winter nesting.
The kitchen beckons in January; tasty comforting foods are sure to warm the heart and soul — and help get everyone started on that New Year’s resolution to eat healthier.
    Experiment with new culinary creations — “Top Chef”-style — that incorporate bold flavors for delicious results. Nothing pleases the senses quite like a hearty meal on chilly evening.
    Try adding these recipes to your repertoire.

Fettucine with Brussels Sprouts and Cranberries
    4 slices bacon (approximately), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
    2 cups (about 12 ounces) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and vertically halved
    1 medium onion, sliced
    1 cup chicken broth
    1⁄4 cup dry vermouth
    1⁄2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
    6 ounces fettuccine (or another long pasta like spaghetti)
    2 ounces. Parmesan cheese, coarsely shredded
    Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

    Slowly cook bacon in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; set bacon aside.
    Increase heat to medium-high, arrange Brussels sprouts cut-side down in the rendered bacon fat and cook, without stirring, until sprouts begin to crisp and brown on the cut face, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and toss to combine with the sprouts; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the broth, vermouth, and dried cranberries, scraping up any fond from the bottom of the skillet, and bring to a fast simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the sprouts soften, about 10 minutes.
    Meanwhile, cook the pasta until just al dente, reserving 1⁄4 cup of the cooking water. Transfer pasta to the skillet with the sprouts and liquid and toss continuously over medium-high heat for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. (If pasta is too dry, add reserved cooking water a tablespoon at a time.) Season with salt and pepper and serve garnished with Parmesan cheese and reserved bacon.

Hearty Beef Stew with Roasted Vegetables
    1 cup cubed butternut squash
    1 cup cubed carrots
    1 cup cubed parsnips
    1 cup cubed sweet potatoes
    1 cup cubed onion
    2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
    1 1/2 pounds boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
    3/4 cup chicken stock
    3 bay leaves
    1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
    1/2 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/4 cup dry red wine

    Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss vegetables with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Arrange in single layer on large baking sheet. Roast 20 minutes or until vegetables are golden brown.
    Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches. Return all beef to skillet. Add roasted vegetables, stock, wine, salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaves.
    Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Kale and Sausage Soup
    2 teaspoons olive oil
    4 links linguica, chorizo, or other spicy sausage, split along the length and sliced 1/2-inch thick
    1 onion, diced
    3 small or 2 medium red-skinned potatoes, skin left on and diced
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    1 bunch (about 1 pound) kale, halved and chopped into thin ribbons
    4 cups chicken broth
    1 tablespoon dried thyme
    1 teaspoon dried oregano
    1 bay leaf
    1 rind Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (optional, but adds great flavor)
    1 can white beans, like navy, cannellini, or Great Northern, drained and rinsed
    Salt and pepper to taste

    Set a dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the sausage and sauté until the sausage is golden brown on all sides. Remove the sausage and drain on a paper towel.
    Reduce heat to medium and add the onion. Sauté until the onion is translucent and then add the potatoes, about five minutes. Sauté until the edges of the potatoes are starting to turn transparent, about five minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
    Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth and the kale to the pot. Stir to coat everything with chicken broth and then cover the pot with a lid. Stir the kale every three minutes until it is barely tender, adding more broth as needed if the pot becomes dry, about 12 minutes total.
    Add the rest of the broth, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, cheese rind, and 2 teaspoons of salt. If the veggies aren’t quite covered, add extra broth or water. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until the kale is completely tender and the potatoes are cooked through. Add the sausage and white beans. Remove bay leaf and cheese rind. Taste for seasonings and salt.
    Serve in individual bowls with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese on top and a crusty slice of bread to sop up the broth at the bottom of the bowl.